Fulling machine of the roller type



sept.l21,1937. M CASSE f 2,093,109

- FULLING MACHINE OF THE ROLLER TYPE Fileudhan.- 15, 1957 4 sheets-sheet 1 l Egg sept. 21, 1937. 'M @SSE 2,093,709

FULLING MACHINE 0F THE ROLLER '1"YP Filed Jan. 15. 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 205 103 9 9 sept. 21, 1937. M CASS FULLING MACHINE OF THE ROLLER TYPE Filed Jan. 15. 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 www n n n uw M. cAssE 2,093,709

FULLING MACHINE OF THE ROLLER TYPE Filed Jan. 15, 1957 4 sheets-sheet 4 sept. 21, 1937.

Patented Sept. 21, 1937 t aosavos FULLING MACHNE 0F THEv ROLLER' TYPE Marcel Cass, Essonnes, France Application January 15, 1937, Serial No. 120,803` In Belgium December 16, 1936 9 Claims.

The machines which are most commonly employed for the fulling of textile goods consisting of hair or woolen felt particularly the hat-blanks used in the hat-trade, consist essentially of rollers which are placed close together and are arranged in two opposite sets, between which the said hat-blanks are passed. Each of the said rollers is set in continuous rotation about its longitudinal` axis, and by this movement, the said hat-blanks are drawn forward. On the other hand, one or both of the two rollers of each set of vtwo co-operating rollers is given a rectilinear, reciprocating displacement of small amplitude, parallel to its axis. 'I'hls reciprocating movement is termed vibration, and produces the fulling. The hat-blank, or like article, is pressed between two opposite izo-operating rollers, and is subjected, on each of its faces, to the alternate action of the said rollers. These movements, together with moisture, heat Aand pressure, cause the intermingling and the intimate contact of the fibres which is termed the ulling.

Such machines operate at a slow rate, and several hours are required for the complete fulling of a hat-blank or like article. Increase of their production cannot be obtained by increasing the amplitudeoi the'vibration, for if this amplitudev should exceed a few millimetres, the surface of the rollers wears the surface of the hat-blanks,

and the fibres of the felt will separate insteadv of being fulled.

quency of the vibration by particular mechani-i cal arrangements, and the machine which will be hereinafter described is an example of such an arrangement, but no change has been hitherto made in the principle of operation of the above-mentioned machine.

An improvement in the production has also been sought for by an alternate variation of the pressure of the rollers upon the hat-blanks, thus producing a fullering effect. This alternate pressure is at the maximum at the time of the maximum speed of the vibration.

It is none the less true that the principal effect of the fulling is obtained by the movement of vibration. During each vibration, the relative speed of the two opposite rollers, which has at first a Zero value, then passes through a maximum, comes again to zero, and then passes through a maximum in the contrary direction, then coming to zero. In each axial vibration, we thus have two inoperative periods at which the speed has a zero value. At this time, there (ci. zs-s' will be no relative displacement of .the rollers, y.

or like article which'is ilattened between the rollers in such a. way that the crease or creases f `formed by the flatteningof the articlelwill change their position upon said article, and thus the latter may remain for a, longer time inthe machine, without any excessive risk that the mark of the crease or creases `shall be permanent.

In particular, in the caseof hat-blanksffor the' hat-trade, the problem of the uncreasing cannot be perfectly solved, owing to the .fact that the hat-blanks have a conical shape, and that during the uncreasing operation it should be nec-- lessary to displace both faces of each blank by amounts increasing from the top to the edge or base of the blank.

In the machines exclusively provided with cylindrical rollers, four principal methods have been hitherto employed for'this purpose.

(a) A permanent dlerence in the speed ci the lower and the upper rollers is provided; each of these sets of rollers engages with one, face of the blank to be ulled, and the difference in speed causes the relative slipping o the two faces. y

(b) The rollers, which all rotate at the same speed, have diierent diameters; this arrangement provides for a progressive variation of the relative speeds of the rollers, but it complicates the construction of the'machine and the replacement of the rollers.

(c) The rollers have on their surfaces one or more screw-threads, which are inclined in the same direction for each set of rollers; as the rollers of the adjacent sets rotate inthe contrary direction, the screw-threads have a tendency to displace each face of the blank in the axial direction.

(d) One of the sets of rollers is entirely displaced, in a direction parallel to the axes of the rollers, by a slow movement of translation which is parallel to their axes, and is necessarily alternating; this arrangement will thus produce the same effect as the above-mentioned screwthreads. It has an advantage from the fact that it can be eliminated at certain times in the iulling constituting a circumferential vibration having the same frequency, or a frequency which is a multiple or a submultiple of the frequency of the axial vibration of the said roller or of its cooperating roller, and being preferably such that the maximumrelative speed of this second movement shall take place at the time when the axial vibration is inoperative.

'Ihus the phases of the two vibrations are alternate, and are displaced by aquarter of a period.

The inoperative times of the axial fulling are thus occupied by the circumferential fulling, and

- inversely. Hence, the fulling becomes continuous, thus at least doubling the production of the machine, while improving the qualityof the felt, which is now more homogeneous.

An alternate variation of pressure may be combined with the aforesaid movements, but its fre'- quency need not have any relation to thefrequency of the vibrations.

According to another characteristic, in view of the uncreasing, the machine comprises a device adapted to produce, at will, a difference in the speed of the upper and lower rollers, and the action of this device can be readily eliminated or again established at any time.

This device allows the fuller to employ the uncreasing device when he feeds the hat-blanks, or other articles, in a certain position, and to eliminate lt if he should feed thel blanks with the top part in front, for instance, vand thus he will avoid all distortion of the said blanks.

In the accompanying drawings, which are given solely by way of example:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic vertical section, perpendicular to the rollers, of a simple form of machine improved in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section of a mechanism for driving the upper rollers, this mechanism being shown in vertical section on its longitudinal axis, that is,

transversely to the rollers.

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig..5, that is, on the axis of one of the lower rollers, relating to a more complete construction of a machine according to the invention; (in this figure, one ofthe upper rollers is also shown in section,` although in fact, the upper rollers are ner of Fig. 5, i. e. to the device for operating the uncreasing.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the machine. Fig. l is a vertical section of the device for ensuring the water circulation in the machine.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the

machine comprises a main frame I provided with two lateral cheeks 2, in which are iiournalled o certain number, four for instance. of lower rollers .2 which are rotated by any suitable means (not v9 (Fig. 2) in engagement with worms Il which are cut upon a shaft Il. This shaft Il is rotatable and slidable in bearings I2 (Fig. 2) forming part of the casing, 5. The said shaft I I has an oblique journal I2 upon which a member I4 is rotatable, said member being pivoted by a balland-socket jointin the end of a link l which is pivotally mounted at I1 on the casing l. each end of the shaft Il is an eccentric journal I8. 'I'hese eccentric journals are rotatable in two respective bearings I9 each located at the end of a/link 20 (Fig.'3), pivoted at the otherend to the machine frame, on a transverse axle 2|.

At one end. the shaft Il carries a pulley 22 driven by a belt which rotates it in such direction that the upper rollers 4 will be driven in the direction of the arrow ,f2 (Fig. 2).

The machine is completed by a table 22 (Fig. 1), heated or not; an endless band 2 4 travels above the said table, and it consists of woolen fabric, canvas, or rubber belting.` The band 24 is engaged between the upper rollers 4 and the lower rollers I, and is stretched between the last lower roller 3l and an auxiliary roller 2i, situated in front of the table 2l.

A second endless band 28, mounted on rollers 21, travels in contact with the band 24 upon the lastl roller 3e, and moves along with the lower part of this band 24, as far as the upper part of said band, tangent to the roller 2l.

'I'he operation is obvious. 'Ihe shaft Il which is driven by the pulley 22, imparts-through the worms I0 and the worm-wheels i-a continuous movement of rotation to the rollers 4 in the direction of the arrow f. 0n the other hand, the eccentric journals I8 combined with the links 2l impart to the casing an alternate movement parallel to the axis of the rollers 4. These latter will thus be given, by the casing 5, an axial vibration, i. e., an alternate movement of translation in the axial direction. Furthermore, under the action of the oblique journal Il and of the members I4 and I8, the shaft Il is given an alternate movement in the directionof the arrow P, and in the contrary direction, at the same frequency as the preceding, and said shaft slides in the casing 5. The worms It, which participate in this longitudinal movement of oscillation, operate upon the worm-wheel i after the manner of racks.. thus imparting to said wheels a circumferential vibration having the same frequency as the axial vibration. The inclination of the saidjournal I3 is so arranged with reference to the eccentricity of the journals I8, that the maximum rate of axial vibration will be obtained at the time of the minimum rate of the radial vibration.

'I'he fuller places the hat-blanks to be fulled, upon the upperpart of the band 24, which is engaged between the adjacent sets of rollers 3 and 4, thus drawing the said hat-blanks between aoca'z'oov the rollers which are given the various movements above described. The auxiliary band 26 ensures the return of the said blanks into a position in front ofthe. operator upon the table 24.

. In order to provide for the uncreasing, the rate of rotation of the lower rollers 3 may be made versely'with reference to the lower rollers in such way that their axes will be situated midway between the axes of two. corresponding lower rollers.

, All of the said rollers consist, for example, of a cylindrical surface portion which is held between two end-pieces 29 by tie-rods 29;

The said upper rollers 4 and lower rollers 3 are rotated in the direction of the arrows f1 and f2 respectively (Fig. 4). On the rother hand, the lower rollers 3 are f given vibratory movements in the axial and also in the circumferential direction.

In order` that the parts in alternating movepivotally connected at one end upon the said` journals. respectively. Each link carries at the other end a hemispherical cup 32 (Figs. 4 and 7). The said cup is held between two correspondingly curved members 33', 34, in which itis movable.

. 'I'he member 341s mounted on the end of a rod 35 which is secured by a nut 36 to a sleeve 31 having a. flanged end 38.

The member 33 and the flange 36 are held together by screw-studs 39.

The sleeve 31. which is rotatable and slidable in the bore of a'sleeve 40 mounted in the casing 5 containing the mechanism, carries at its end situated at the exterior of the said casing a coupling disc 4I. The Said disc is assembled with a second disc 42 which is connected with one of the roller 3.

The said roller carries at the other end a journal 43 (Fig. 4) which is rotatable'and slidable in l a bearing 44 mounted on the machine frame I.

nals iS-49 are mounted respective links Sil-5lk (Fig. 6), and said links-through the hemispher ical members 62--are pivoted to discs 63 mounted upon two shaftsv 64--56 respectively (Figs. 4, 5, 7). 'I'he shafts 66-55 carry respectively a gear wheel 56-51 (Fig. 6). 'I'hese two wheels are in geared engagement and their teeth have l40 actuating the lower rollers 3.

a suiiicientilength to 4allow them to slide while remaining in engagement. I

Thus the shafts 54 and 55 are inv constant rotation in contrary directions. Each shaft carries worms I6 vin engagement, in pairs. with worm-wheels 9rotatably mounted on the sleeves The wormwheels 9 are connected as to rotation with said sleeves, and hence with the said rollers, by Kstuds 39 which are inserted into the said wheels. Any two consecutive wheels 9 are driven respectively by a worm located on the upper shaft 54, and

by a worm located on the lower shaft 55. As the l said worms rotate in contrary directions, the

' result will be that all of the lower rollers [will rotate in the same direction.

, The upper shaft 54 extends outwardly of the casing 5, and it carries on its outer end two pulleysor a pulley with twd grooves 58-59 of. different diameters, which are connected (Fig. A5)

by two belts 60, 6I to two pulleys 62--63'A (Figs. r

5 and 8) which are loose upon a socket 64 mounted on a shaft 65. The pulleys 62--63 carry respectively. conical members 66 or 61, adapted for engagement with two respective conical members 68, 69 secured to the shaft. 65. For this purpose, a rod 10 slidable in `a bore in the shaft 65, is connected with the socket 64 by a pin 1i extending through two apertures 12 pierced in the said shaft. On the end of the shaft 10 is mounted a stop 13, preferably upon ball (bearings, which is acted upon inorder to couple one or the other of the two pulleys 62, 63. This action isvunder the control of thefuller occupied with the machine, and' is transmitted, for example, by a hand-wheel 14, a rod 15 and a lever 16 (Fig. 9).

The shaft 66 is rotated by the main crankshaft 36, which carries one or more pulleys at one end; Fig. 5 shows two such pulleys 11, 16, which drive corresponding pulleys 8|62- by vbelts 19, 60, respectively (Figs. 5 and 6), keyed to the shaft 65.. By the use of either set of pulleys, different speeds can be obtained.

To the shaft 65 is keyed a long worm 83 (Figs.`

4, 5, 9) in engagement with the worm-wheels 64, each of which is secured to a respective upper roller 4.

The diameters of the set of pulleys 66, 62 are such that the upper rollers 4 and the lower rollers 3 will rotate at the same speed, and the other set of pulleys 59, 63 is such that the upper rollers 4, for instance, will rotate at a slower speed than the lower rollers 3. l l

The shaft 83 is arranged below the rollers 4, in such way as to be compatible with the vertical movements of the said rollers, to whatever degree.

The said rollers 4 are in fact journalled in bearings (Fig. 4) upon which are mounted the sleeves 86, slidable in two respective lower cross-pieces 81 (Figs. 4 and 9) which are movable, in translation, along two uprights 66 mount'- ed on the main frame I. Each sleeve 66 carries at the exterior a stop 69 (Fig. 4) slidable in a longitudinal groove in the cross-piece 81,-

thus limiting the upward movements relatively to the said cross-piece. The said cross-pieces carry two rods 9i (Fig. 9) which are slidable in an ,upper cross-piece 92, whose position-in height along the uprights 66 is adjustable as may be desired. The rods 9i are provided with nuts 93 or other stops,-and thus the cross-piece 92, when it is raised, will also raise the lower cross-piece In the upper cross-piece 92 are screwed the rods 94 (Figs. 4 and 9), on the ends of which are mounted pistons l5, each of which is slidable in one of the sleeves 05 carrying the bearings 05 of the rollers 4. A spring is located between the'bearing 95- and the piston 95, in such way that when the rollers 4 bear upon the lower rollers 3 and when the cross-piece 92 is sumciently lowered, the springs 96 will be compressed,

and will thus press the rollers 4 upon the rollers 3. This pressure is adjustable, by the vertica adjustment of the upper cross-pieces 92.

The movements of the cross-pieces 92 along the uprights 08 may be provided forl in the following manner. In these two cross-pieces I92 is journalled a driving shaft 91 (Figs. 4 and'9) upon the end of which is mounted a hand-wheel 98 or like operating device. The said shaft 9'| carries, in the interior of each cross-piece, a worm 99`(Fig. 4) engaging a worm-wheel |00 which is rotatable together with a pinion |0| engaged with a rack |02 (Fig. 9) which is formed on the side of a corresponding upright 88 mounted on the main frame I. A protecting sleeve |03, secured to the cross-piece 92, covers each rack As in the first `embodiment, the machine comprises an endless band 24 (Figs. 5 and 9) which is mounted upon rollers |04 and |05 and serves to convey the hat-blanks or other articles to be fulled, to the first pair of rollers 3,

4. In the rear of the last pair of rollers, 4, is' mounted a defiecting device |06 (Fig. 9) which` ends at a point above a second endless band |01, stretched between two rollers |08, |09 which are driven from the shaft 92 through a set of gear-v ing Ill (Figs. 4 and 9).

v The machine is completed by a water circulation device. The vertical shaft 40 (Fig. 6) carries at the top a flywheel III adapted to regulatize its movement, and also a pulley ||2 which drivesthrough a horizontal belt anda second pulley ||3 (Fig. 10)-a vertical shaft H4. The said shaft is joumalled at its upper end in a casing l5 provided with ball bearings. and it hangs freely in a tube IIB the lower part of which is immersed in the receptacle of the machine. To the lower end of said vertical shaft |I4 is secured a propeller ||8 or a wheel of a centrifugal pump. This forms a device for hot water circulation, in which no stufllng-boxes are employed.

The water which is elevated by the propeller I8 is delivered throughy a spout H0 into an upper receptacle |20 (Figs. 4 and 10) the bottom of which is perforated in coincidence with the rollers 4 above which it is situated. 'I'hus the water is delivered upon said rollers, and it is taken up at a point below the rollers l, by a basin |2| from which it is returned to the receptacle |1.

The operation of the said machine is as follows.

The shaft 30 is the driving shaft. It is driven by the main pulley |22 (Fig. 5). The said shaft imparts-through the links ll-the axial vibrations to the lower rollers 3.

On the other hand, the said shaft 30 drives- I through the gearings 45 and 45-the vertical shaft lation. The said shafts impart these movements vto the wheels 9 and hence -to the rollers, which are thus rotated andare subjected to a circumferential vibration which is superposed upon the movement of rotation.

It will ,be seen that the circumferential movements of the rollers 3 may be imparted by a single shaft 54 or 55. But the use of two shaftswiil permit, by displacing their alternating .movey yments of 180 of compensating the reactions of inertia, and of preventing all jarring of the machine.

The travel of the hat-blanks to be fulled, is as follows. band 24, which feeds them between the first pairs of rollers. They then proceed between the suc- They Yare placed by the fuller upon the ceeding rollers, being drawn forward by the said rollers.

When they are discharged from the last pair of rollers, the hat-blanks drop down. They are guided -in this movement by a small defiecting device |08, and then come upon the horizontal band |011 which is stretched between the rollers |09 and |09, which bring them to the front, atwhich point the fuller can seize them and can send them? produced `by the same rollers, but it is evident thatl such vibrations may be distributed between the two sets of rollers. or that each of these two setsmay be subject to the two vibrations.

'Having now described my invention whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fulling'machinecomprising in combination two sets of parallel rollers, means for imparting to the rollers of one of said sets of rollers a uniform rotary movement in one direction and tothe rollers of the other of said sets of rollers a uniform rotary 'movement in 'the contrary direction, said two sets of rollers being arranged one above the other in spaced relation so that the articles to4 be fulled which are passed between said two sets of rollers are suitably compressed, means adapted to impart to at least one of said two sets of rollers, an axial vibration i. e. a reciprocating longitudinal movement parallel to their a'xes and means adapted to impart to at least one of said sets ofrollers a circumferential vibration i.`e. an oscillation movement about their axes, said oscillatory movement being superposed to the uniform rotary movement.

2. A fulling machinevcomprising in combination two sets of parallel rollers, means for imparting to one of said sets of rollers a uniform rotary movement in one direction, worm wheels secured to the rollers of said other set of rollers, a worm engaging said worm-wheels, bearings in which ,said worm is adapted to rotate and slide, driving means adapted to rotate said worm so that said other set of rollers rotate in a direction contrary to the direction of movement of said one of said sets of rollers, means adapted to impart to said worm a reciprocating longitudinal movement and means adapted to impart to at least one of said sets of rollersl an axial vibration.

3. A fulling machine comprising in combination two sets of parallel rollers, means for imparting to one oi said sets of rollers a uniform rotary movement in one direction, worm wheels secured to the rollers of said other set of rollers, a worm engaging said worm-wheels, bearings in which said worm is adapted to rotate and slide, driving means adapted to rotate said worm so that said other set of rollers rotate in a direction contrary to the direction of movement of said one of said sets of rollers, an oblique journal on said worm, an oscillating bearing mounted on said oblique journal in fixed longitudinal relation with reference to-said journal, a pivot the position of which is xed with reference to said bearings, a link pivotally connected on one end to said oscillating bearing and on the other end to said pivot, whereby a reciprocating longitudinal movement is imparted to said worm and means adapted to impart to at least one ofsaid set's' of rollers an axial vibration.

4. A fulling machine comprising in combination two sets of parallel rollers, means for imparting to the rollers of one of said sets of rollers a uniform rotary movement in one direction and to the rollers of the other of said sets of rollers a uniform rotary movement in the contrary direction, said two sets of rollers being arranged one above the other in spaced relation so that the articles to be fulled which are passed between said two sets of rollers are suitably compressed, bearings adapted to rotatably support said two sets of rollers, means adapted to impart to at least one of the bearings of each roller of at least one set of rollers a reciprocating movement along its axis, the other bearings of said one set of rollers being adapted to permit a sliding movement of the rollers, and means adapted to impart to at least one of said sets of `rollers a circumferential vibration.

5. A fulling machine comprising in combination two sets of parallel rollers, means for imparting to the rollers of one of said sets of rollers a uniform rotary movement in one direction and to the rollers of the other of said sets of rollers a uniform rotary movement in the contrary direction, said two sets of rollers being arranged one above the other in spaced relation so that the articles to be fulled which are passed between said two sets of rollers are suitably compressed, members in which are journalled said rollersfixed guides parallel to the axes of said rollers and on which said members are adapted to slide. means adapted to impart to said members a, reciprocating movement on said fixed guides and means adapted to impart to at least one of said sets of rollers a circumferential vibration i. e. an oscillatory movement about their axes, said oscillatory movement being superposed to the uniform rotary movement.

6. A fulling machine comprising in combination two sets of parallel rollers, means for imparting to the rollers of one of said sets of rollers a uniform rotary movement in one direction and to the rollers of the other of said sets of rollers a uniform rotary movement in the contrary direction, said two sets of rollers being arranged ,Y

one above the other in spaced relationso that the articles to be fulled whch are passed between said two sets of rollers are suitably compressed, fixed bearings in which said rollers are adapted to rotate and slide, means adapted to impart to at least of one of said sets of rollers a reciprocating ,A

longitudinal movement, and meansadapted to impart to at least one of said sets of rollers a circumferential vibration, i. e. an oscillatory movement about their axes, said oscillatory movement being superposed to the uniform rotary movement.

'7. Av fulling machine as claimed in claim 6 in which said means adapted to impart to at least one of said sets of rollers a reciprocating longitudinal movement comprise a rotary crank-shaft arranged transversely to the'rollers, ball-andsocket joints on the ends of the rollers and links adapted to connect the crank pins of said crank shaft to said ball-and-socket joints.

8. A fulling machine as claimed in claim 2 in which said means adapted to impart to said worm a reciprocating longitudinal movement j comprise a crank shaft, a member mounted on the end of said worm and adapted to permit rotation of said worm while said member remains stationary and of transmitting to said worm longitudinal stresses. and a link connected at one end to a crank-pin of said crank shaft and on the other end to said member.

9. A fulling machine comprising in combination two sets of parallel rollers, means for imparting to oneof said sets of rollers 'a uniform rotary movement in one direction, worm wheels secured to the rollers of said other set of rollers, a first worm arranged above said other sct of rollers and engaging a rst group of alternate wormwheels, a second worm arranged below said other set of rollers and engaging the other group of alternate worm wheels, bearings in which said worms are adapted to rotate and slide, driving means adapted to rotate said first worm in one direction, a gearing adapted to connect said rst worm with said second worm so that the latter rotates in the opposite direction to that in which rotates said first worm, the first and second worms being adapted to rotate the worm-wheels in the same direction, means adapted to impart to said worms a reciprocating longitudinal movement and means adapted to impart to at least one of said sets of rollers an axial vibration. l

MARCEL CASSE. 

